North Korea test-fired two short-range ballistic missiles off its eastern coast Wednesday for the second time in just under a week, South Korea’s military said, casting a shadow over hopes that nuclear talks may resume soon. The launch raises pressure on the United States as it tries to restart talks aimed at persuading the North to abandon its nuclear weapons. North Korea is likely angling to increase its leverage in…

Federal investigators in Russia have opened an investigation over mass unrest that could end in up to 15-year prison sentences for calling a protest for fair elections, where 1 373 protesters were arrested over the weekend. French news agency AFP reports that Russian federal investigators said their probe would target not just the organisers of the weekend rally but also participants. The investigation will also look into violence against police and…

With the Syrian war focusing on last opposition-held stronghold, UN’s emergency relief coordinator has warned world powers should act to prevent the continued violence could create the worst humanitarian disaster of the 21st century. American news agency AP cited the address of Mark Lowcock, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, to the UN Security Council members. «There is no refuge for the people of Idlib,» Lowcock…

More than 20 people have appeared in court in Hong Kong charged with rioting, as hundreds of supporters gathered outside the building chanting “revolution of our time” and “liberate Hong Kong”. The hearings marked the first time authorities have resorted to the serious charges of rioting since the beginning of a wave of unrest that has plunged the former British colony into its biggest political crisis since its return to…

Electricity market prices in the Baltic countries jumped by 7% on average last week to cross the 55-euro mark, Elektrum Lietuva said LETA/BNS. The average electricity price in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia rose by 7% to 55.70 euros per megawatt-hour (MWh), the independent electricity supplier said in a press release. The average price across the Nord Pool power exchange edged up by 1 percent to 38.02 euros per MWh, it…

Unfortunately, it is high time for humanity to accept the fact that in the modern world both oral and written agreements do not work. Anyway, every state entering the NATO alliance will act in accordance with its own interests only. After all, many people know how the League of Nations failed to cope with its duties and shamefully allowed Hitler to attack Europe. And after that the organization simply dissolved…

The influx of migrants and asylum seekers to Europe in recent years has shown the need for a fairer, more effective European asylum policy. Although the record migratory flows to the EU witnessed in 2015 and 2016 have subsided, Europe – due to its geographic position and stability – is likely to remain a destination for asylum seekers and migrants amid international and internal conflicts, climate change and poverty. There…

The Board of the central Bank of Lithuania has issued electronic money institution licenses to PCS Transfer and Simplex Payment Services, authorizing them to issue electronic money and provide certain payment services. Initially, PCS Transfer plans to operate in Lithuania and later expand to Germany, the United Kingdom, France and other EU member states, the central bank said in a statement on Friday. Having secured an electronic money institution license,…

On 25 July, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevičius congratulated the newly appointed Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom Dominic Raab and sent him best wishes for success in this challenging and important position. “Lithuania has been and will remain a friend and an ally of the United Kingdom in good times and during difficult ones. I truly hope that we will continue coordinating through effective bilateral dialogue as…

Lithuania’s retired swimming start Ruta Meilutyte has been disqualified by the International Swimming Federation (FINA) for two years for the violation of the doping rules. The Lithuanian athlete breached the World Anti-Doping Code’s articles under which doping control officers failed to find her in the stated location three times within a period of 12 months. Under World Anti-Doping Code and Lithuania’s anti-doping rules, athletes are required to provide exact information…